


Memories of Christmas Past

by magician



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Christmas, Family, Ficlet, Gen, The Sentinel Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-02-27 09:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13245672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magician/pseuds/magician
Summary: A visitor arrives at the loft as the guys decorate for Christmas





	Memories of Christmas Past

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2017 TS Secret Santa Drabble Days for the prompt: ornament. https://ts-secret-santa.livejournal.com/  
> This makes references to a story I wrote for the 2016 TSSS called ["Holiday Memories".](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9202136/chapters/20877281) You don't have to read that to understand this.

It was December 23rd and Jim and Blair were busy at the loft. They'd been volunteering at the 43rd Street Outreach along with their coworkers. As a result, they were behind schedule in decorating. As it got closer to the holidays, the soup kitchen got more volunteers, so the Major Crime detectives were given the evening off.  
  
There was a knock on the door. Blair looked and then opened it wide. "Jim, the tree's here." Blair pointed to a spot by the balcony windows. The men set the tree in its stand, then left with a generous tip. "Hey, maybe we should have your truck break down every year," he chuckled. "This sure was easier than hauling it up ourselves."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Jim answered, giving Blair a sour look. "Sweetheart has a better track record than that heap of yours. Did you find the lights?"  
  
"In that striped box. If you'll string them on the tree, I'll finish decorating the fireplace and put up the wreathes. By then, dinner will be ready."  
  
Jim plugged in the lights and nodded in satisfaction. Blair pulled the lasagna out of the oven and looked up. "Wow, that really does look spectacular. We can decorate it after dinner."  
  
Just then, there was another knock. Jim opened the door. "Dad?"  
  
"Hello, Jimmy-- _Jim,_ " said William Ellison, belatedly remembering that Jim didn't like the diminutive of his name. "Can I come in?"  
  
"Of course." Jim opened the door wide. "Is everything all right? Steven? Sally?"  
  
"Everyone's fine. I just wanted to drop some things off. William walked in and set a large bag on the table. He pulled out a box and handed it to Jim. "I thought you might like to have these."  
  
Jim opened the box he remembered so well from his childhood. Inside were twelve antique Waterford crystal tree ornaments, individually cushioned in nests of cotton batting. There were six snowflakes, each with a slightly different design. An angel, tree, sleigh, bell, locomotive and Claddagh completed the set. Jim pulled one of the snowflakes out and held it up; it caught the lights of the loft, reflecting them in a rainbow of colors. "Oh, Dad, they're as beautiful as I remember. Thank you."  
  
"When I called Blair to arrange to come over, he said you'd told him about loving these ornaments. It's more than time for me to pass them along, so…"  
  
"But, what about Steven? Should we divide them?"  
  
William put his hand on Jim's arm. "These have meaning for _you_ , Son. Thinking back, I remembered how much you enjoyed watching them on the tree; perhaps because of your… gifts."  
  
"They're exquisite," Blair said in awe. "Why don't you two hang them, and I'll put dinner on the table. You'll stay, won't you, Mr. Ellison?"  
  
William nodded. "Call me William. That lasagna smells delicious." He pulled some more packages from the bag. "These go under the tree. No peeking before Christmas," he joked.  
  
Later, as the three men ate and shared other memories, the ornaments winked and sparkled.

~~the end~~


End file.
